Even the younger generations have difficulties keeping up with technology trends, so it's no surprise their parents sometimes struggle too.
TikTok user @alij4l got interested in the funny ways this manifests and has been collecting unintentionally unsettling messages moms and dads sent their kids.
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While screen time often interferes with family life, for some, text messages have become a digital medium that helps parents communicate with their children. Though it is too one-dimensional for involved conversations, texting can give you a way to express yourself.
Amy Kossoff Smith said texting helps her get the attention of her three teenage sons, ages 13, 16, and 18. When she or her husband Mitch calls them to dinner from downstairs, they have two choices: “We can yell at the top of our lungs three to four times. Or we can pull our phones out and text them," Ms. Smith explained. "When we get into their zone, we usually get a much quicker response."
That’s kinda wholesome actually… idk why but I just think it’s kinda cute
Like many parents, Ms. Smith finds it convenient to text from room to room within the house. Teens are already talking to their friends via text, making it easy for parents to communicate the same way.
Ms. Smith texts her sons with reminders that she's leaving on an errand in five minutes or that it is time to get ready for bed.
Her 13-year-old son, Noah, often texts her to get permission to go out with friends, Ms. Smith added.
Yep,an air strike would slow things up, too.
The mom draws the line at mealtimes: she bans phones at the table.
And it makes sense. The 8.6% of teens who text frequently during family meals tend to have poorer family communication overall, according to a study of 1,858 parents published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
And did that make you less worried...? How did you find out it was her?
Lol, I feel like one of my family would do that, and then my younger brother would actually call the authorities and take the joke too far.
According to Catherine Steiner-Adair, a clinical psychologist, school consultant, and author of 'The Big Disconnect,' a book on technology and family relationships, texting shouldn't be allowed to reduce face-to-face conversations or enable teens to avoid difficult issues.
She noted that painful, awkward, tough conversations between parent and child are where children learn so much about the relational dynamics that are a part of adulthood.
Well, they do say that an aircraft landing is just a controlled crash.
However, Dr. Steiner-Adair also said that children of all ages have told her there were times when they’d started a really difficult conversation in a text because that was the only way they could find the courage.
So this modern means of communication can very well bridge some gaps between us. We just need to remember that misunderstandings and humorous exchanges will arise since every generation has its own habits of interacting.
average autocorrect moment edit: i decided to make a question about this!: https://www.boredpanda.com/hey-pandas-what-was-the-most-random-word-you-autocorrect-generated/
My dad had cancer for 10 years. He and my mom had The bad habit of texting "we need to talk" or "call me" ir just my name. 10 years responding in panic Just to hear "oh no, everythings fine. We Just wanted to talk, or see The kids or whatever". Very anxiety inducing. Specially on his last months 🫠🥲
My mom STALKS us on 360. I made her a shirt that says "I stalk my family #Life360"!! She texted me early one Saturday and asked if we had electricity. Later when I woke up, I replied "yes," and asked why. She said "Your phone is on 9% battery and Will's (my son) is dead." Lady. We are ASLEEP!! That's just ONE story of many.
No clue. I don't have family that stalk/control me.
Load More Replies...My daughter stalks me too. "I see you're at the mall. Bath & Bodyworks again?!"... "That's not your usual route home"... "Really Mom, the pet store again?! We don't have pets" In my defence, I like to get treats for the neighbourhood dogs. Mostly it's all in good fun between her and I.
My parents got it because in high school my brother had a habit of going out with friends and not picking up his phone. He would be gone for hours with no word on when he might be home. They would start calling friends to see if they were with him🤦🏼♀️
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Funny timing on this. My mom's texts are usually sensible, but very early this morning I got a text from her that just said, "The eyeball game The eyeball game". I'll have to ask her about it, but I'll wait till the sun rises and I've had some coffee.
The sun has risen in my part of the world. But who is up early enough to scroll BP before sunrise???
Load More Replies...Once I texted my mother that my team had lost our playoff spot by 1 place and she just responded "L".
My husband was out of town, my mother came over (not related LOL) and my daughter gave up her bed. So the plan was for she and I to bunk in my bed. She said she would think about her options. I'm ready to go to bed so I text her and ask "are you sleeping with me tonight or not?" to which my husband's colleague responded "I know A is out of town but do you really want to do this?" LOL, he was one name up my daughter's. We both thought it was funny, then I forwarded the question to my daughter and she had decided to sleep at her friend's house but forgot to tell me.
Not really related but my mom texted me once asking if I snuck a cat home, I thought my sister went rebel- she sent a picture of this random dirty cat and when I got home it turns out it was my own cat who knocked over a jug of black paint on himself which made him look like a different cat 😭
My mom texted me randomly one day during my lunch hour, which she never does. Then just casually says, "I'm at the hospital with your brother". Proceeds to not answer my texts or calls for the next 30 minutes while I'm freaking out wondering why my brother is in the hospital. Turns out he had broken 2 fingers at work and needed surgery on them and was unable to drive. Nothing too serious, but still.
My mom had a habit of texting “we need to talk when you come over”, ususally 3-4 days before I was due to visit. Sleepless nights wondering who is dying and then it’s something totally insignificant, like she was decluttering and needs to ask me if she can bin some old t-shirt of mine I left behind when I moved out. I tried to explain over and over this is not good enough reason for “we need to talk” message. She only learned her lesson and tuned it down after she pulled this on my brother and he completly lost it, being stressed from work didn’t need extra nonsense to worry about and blocked her for months.
My mom stays up very late like 2 am, and her phone is often on mute, so when I try to call her in normal hours she doesn't pick up in 7/10 cases. Then suddenly a call at 1:30 am from her, I wake up from my phone screen illuminating the bedroom, get out from bed shaking (what happened? dad? any emergency?), go to the far room not to wake anybody, call her: What happened mom? She: Ah, you called me? I saw a missed call from you. Mom! It was two days ago! And we talked twice since then. Then I try to get asleep for the next 2 hrs.
Not a text but a phone call - my mum rung me early one Sunday morning, telling me 'Diana is dead'. I immediately think she is referring to my cousin, so, I'm 'OMG, what happened, are the kids ok? Poor Uncle Jimmy!! No. She was talking about the Princess of Wales...
Funny timing on this. My mom's texts are usually sensible, but very early this morning I got a text from her that just said, "The eyeball game The eyeball game". I'll have to ask her about it, but I'll wait till the sun rises and I've had some coffee.
The sun has risen in my part of the world. But who is up early enough to scroll BP before sunrise???
Load More Replies...Once I texted my mother that my team had lost our playoff spot by 1 place and she just responded "L".
My husband was out of town, my mother came over (not related LOL) and my daughter gave up her bed. So the plan was for she and I to bunk in my bed. She said she would think about her options. I'm ready to go to bed so I text her and ask "are you sleeping with me tonight or not?" to which my husband's colleague responded "I know A is out of town but do you really want to do this?" LOL, he was one name up my daughter's. We both thought it was funny, then I forwarded the question to my daughter and she had decided to sleep at her friend's house but forgot to tell me.
Not really related but my mom texted me once asking if I snuck a cat home, I thought my sister went rebel- she sent a picture of this random dirty cat and when I got home it turns out it was my own cat who knocked over a jug of black paint on himself which made him look like a different cat 😭
My mom texted me randomly one day during my lunch hour, which she never does. Then just casually says, "I'm at the hospital with your brother". Proceeds to not answer my texts or calls for the next 30 minutes while I'm freaking out wondering why my brother is in the hospital. Turns out he had broken 2 fingers at work and needed surgery on them and was unable to drive. Nothing too serious, but still.
My mom had a habit of texting “we need to talk when you come over”, ususally 3-4 days before I was due to visit. Sleepless nights wondering who is dying and then it’s something totally insignificant, like she was decluttering and needs to ask me if she can bin some old t-shirt of mine I left behind when I moved out. I tried to explain over and over this is not good enough reason for “we need to talk” message. She only learned her lesson and tuned it down after she pulled this on my brother and he completly lost it, being stressed from work didn’t need extra nonsense to worry about and blocked her for months.
My mom stays up very late like 2 am, and her phone is often on mute, so when I try to call her in normal hours she doesn't pick up in 7/10 cases. Then suddenly a call at 1:30 am from her, I wake up from my phone screen illuminating the bedroom, get out from bed shaking (what happened? dad? any emergency?), go to the far room not to wake anybody, call her: What happened mom? She: Ah, you called me? I saw a missed call from you. Mom! It was two days ago! And we talked twice since then. Then I try to get asleep for the next 2 hrs.
Not a text but a phone call - my mum rung me early one Sunday morning, telling me 'Diana is dead'. I immediately think she is referring to my cousin, so, I'm 'OMG, what happened, are the kids ok? Poor Uncle Jimmy!! No. She was talking about the Princess of Wales...